Eureka Springs’ ‘Queen Anne’ property to open as destination wedding, events and wellness center

A Rogers businesswoman with deep roots in Arkansas’ travel and tourism sector announced Thursday (Jan. 23) a new hospitality venture in a historical Eureka Springs property.

The Queen Anne Mansion and Resort will open April 4 as an all-inclusive wedding destination and luxury events space.

Ann Gray is the founder and owner of the new business, operating as Royale Hospitality International LLC (RHI). Steve and Lata Lovell, real estate investors who live in Williamsburg, Va., own the property and have leased it to RHI to operate and maintain.

“I’ve been working on this concept for the past five years,” Gray said in a statement. “When I explored my vision for an all-inclusive wedding, events and wellness destination with the Lovells, we found our missions aligned perfectly.”

Since 2018 Gray has owned and managed an integrative wellness clinic in Rogers, Innovative Wellness NWA. For years she served as the group travel director for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, traveling throughout North America promoting the state to group tour operators.

In the 1980s she owned and operated a Eureka Springs gift shop.

“Ann’s mission for the property matches ours,” Steve Lovell said in a news release announcing the venture. “We want to see this national historic treasure come alive again and become a greater asset to the community. Ann’s vision is an absolute parallel to our goals — what we see as the ‘forever future’ for the Queen Anne, things that can sustain the property for the next 100 years.”

The ornate Victorian mansion perched atop the city’s historic district was built 129 years ago. The property sits on seven acres in the heart of Eureka Springs, transported there from its original site in Carthage, Mo., in 1984. It was disassembled, trucked in pieces and reassembled in Eureka Springs. In 2006, after the Lovells purchased the 12,000-square-foot property, it underwent a multimillion-dollar stem-to-stern restoration that brought it to museum-house standards.

“For decades, the Queen Anne Mansion has been the crown jewel of one of America’s most famous historic districts,” Gray said. “Now she is destined to become the home of the most extraordinary memories for couples throughout the region and the country.”

The landscaped grounds also house a 2,500-square-foot spa and wellness center — known as Kelley House — a resort-style swimming pool, putting green and bocce court. The mansion is outfitted with a commercial kitchen, linens and serviceware, tents and more to accommodate seated service for up to 200 guests.

Specific details and services for the Queen Anne Mansion and Resort released Wednesday include:

Weddings + Events

• Up to 200 seated guests can be accommodated in tented facilities in the courtyard
• 60-plus guests can be accommodated inside
• Complete commercial kitchen on premises
• Onsite event coordinator
• Seven luxury master suites with ensuite baths

The Royale Dinner Club

• Membership-only gourmet dinner club featuring a different guest chef each month
• Chef will design and deliver original menu, with a discussion of the inspiration, ingredients and preparation of the meal
• Membership includes one overnight stay per year in a luxury suite

Innovative Health and Wellness Centre

• Housed in the 2,500-square-foot Kelley House on the estate property
• Acupuncturist, chiropractor, nutritionist, thermographer and functional medicine doctor on site
• Complete spa with pampering for bridal parties and the public
• Juice and smoothie bar under the direction of a registered dietician, where guests can order healthful light lunches or snacks
• Expands on Eureka Springs’ well-known focus on natural healing and healthy living

After the Lovells bought the mansion property in 2005, it was reopened in 2010 to the public as a museum. While open, 15,000 people all over the world toured the estate. The Lovells were honored by the Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce as 2011 Business of the Year.

In 2012, the Lovells further developed the estate into a luxury residence suitable for private living or commercial entertainment. The estate serves as the setting for events such as art exhibits, weddings and private functions. The Kelley House was transformed into a business office, private Satori Concept Spa and additional living space.

Gray’s new venture is the second tourism-related announcement in the past week in Eureka Springs. On Jan. 15, a father-and-son duo announced their plans for a $10 million resort called Pine Mountain, expected to be a regional draw for mountain bikers, motorcyclists, foodies and sightseers.